[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 30, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H3308-H3309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS RECOGNITION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Peters) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, a day before Yom HaShoah, or 
Holocaust Remembrance Day, to recognize the late Cornelis and 
Wilhelmina de Ru.
  In 1940, Nazi forces invaded the Netherlands, and days later, the 
Dutch were forced to surrender. Throughout the next 5 years, the de Ru 
family risked everything to save the life of a young Jewish teenager, 
Maurits Kopuit. He was only one of two survivors in his family.
  The de Rus understood the great risk involved in shielding Maurits, 
yet they displayed unyielding courage in their effort to save a fellow 
citizen.
  During the Holocaust, the Nazis systematically killed 6 million Jews. 
However, throughout this nightmare, there were a few like the de Rus 
who refused to allow dark forces to prevail.
  This past Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. de Ru were named Righteous Among the 
Nations for their heroic efforts to protect Mr. Maurits Kopuit from the 
Nazi regime during World War II.
  Righteous Among the Nations is a special designation by Yad Vashem, 
the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, that conveys the gratitude of 
the State of Israel and of the Jewish people for those who took risks 
to save Jews during the Holocaust.
  As of January 2018, Yad Vashem had recognized over 26,000 people from 
51 different countries with the Righteous Among the Nations 
designation. Their names appear on the Mount of Remembrance in 
Jerusalem. It is an unprecedented tribute by victims to those who stood 
by their sides.
  Next week marks the 74th anniversary of the Nazi army's surrender. We 
must never forget the consequences of remaining silent in the face of 
evil and intolerance.
  Please join me in honoring the de Rus' selfless actions and 
commemorating all those whose lives were lost.


                    Honoring the Life of Stan Smith

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Stan 
Smith, an exemplary historian from Rancho Bernardo whose help made the 
San Diego Veterans History Project possible.
  Stan's brother, Charlie, was killed during the invasion of Sicily in 
1943 during World War II. This prompted Stan himself to join the U.S. 
Navy and later prompted his interest in recording veterans' accounts of 
their service during World War II and the Vietnam war.
  Stan began helping my office in 2013 and worked with us for 3 years 
before going to help the San Diego Veterans Museum.

                              {time}  1015

  He recorded more than 100 oral histories of San Diego County veterans 
in

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the 7 years since he began, ensuring that their stories would never be 
forgotten.
  Stan understood the importance of passing history down from one 
generation to the next and thanking the men and women who, like Stan, 
served our country.
  We are deeply grateful for Stan Smith's commitment to recording 
veterans' stories. His work has ensured that their stories will never 
be lost. Please join me in honoring Stan Smith and his children, who 
plan to carry on the work their father started.
  Mr. Speaker, if there are any San Diegans who are interested in 
becoming involved with the Veterans History Project, I hope they will 
contact my office.


                         Congratulating ResMed

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate ResMed, a 
medical device company located in my district, for receiving the 2019 
Duane Roth Renaissance Award.
  Duane Roth was a champion of life sciences and tech entrepreneurship. 
He was a beloved community leader who defined San Diego's innovation 
ecosystem and economic diversity.
  Every year, the Duane Roth Award is given to a company whose 
inventions and breakthroughs have improved the world around us. ResMed 
has combined groundbreaking sleep and respiratory medicine with 
technology to increase the accessibility and availability of treatment 
for those with sleep apnea and other chronic diseases. This year, 
ResMed is recognized for its commitment to improving quality of life, 
reducing the risk of chronic disease, and increasing access to 
healthcare.
  ResMed exemplifies the innovation and discovery of San Diego, and I 
am proud to celebrate a San Diego company that has worked tirelessly to 
better healthcare on this well-deserved honor.

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